People started celebrating Notting Hill Carnival before 8am this morning with a spray and powder paint party in the streets.
Despite the forecast of rain, people didnt let it dampen spirits, throwing colourful paint at each other and over cars.
Thousands of people descended on the streets in North West London and were seen dancing at the start of the annual two-day event.
Notting Hill Carnival is touted as Europes largest street event and the second largest in the world.
More than one million people are expected to flock to the Carnival this year to celebrate Caribbean cultures.
The 52nd Carnival will have a special focus on the Windrush generation, following this years Home Office deportation scandal.
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It is estimated to contribute £93m to Londons economy and hosts 40 static sound systems, ten steel pan bands, and 70 performing stages.
There are also around 15,000 costumes on display every year and 300 food stalls offering refreshments.
Metal detecting knife arches will be installed for the first time this year in an effort to clamp down on crime in the city.
Although the vast majority of those who attend Carnival behave themselves, undercover tactics will be rolled out to prevent troublemakers entering the carnival and armed officers, dog units and police on horseback will be stationed along the route.
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Commander Musker added: London remains a safe city where the vast majority of people can go about their daily lives unaffected by violence, however we are committed to bearing down on those who commit such acts and will do everything we can to keep Londoners safe.
Special stop and search powers will be rolled out at Notting Hill Carnival as anti-gang police try to counter rising crime at the event.
The Metropolitan Police, which is dedicating more than 13,000 officers to the event, has announced it will impose a Section 60 order.
The power allows police to search anyone at Carnival who it believes could be carrying dangerous weapons including knives.
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More than 300 people were arrested at last years event and 28 police officers were injured.
The stop and search order will be in place for 15 hours, between 9am today until midnight.
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The Mets gold commander of the Carnival operation, Dave Musker, said: The MPS has worked tirelessly to develop an appropriate and proportionate policing plan.
However, given the intelligence picture and incidents of violence I have seen across the city over the last week, I have made the decision to authorise this order as an additional preventative measure.
The use of this authority will reassure our communities that we are constantly working to protect them.
It will also send a message to those intent on committing acts of violence that we will robustly target them.
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